Game



Aug. 26, 135. L. E. BALTZLEY GAME FiledOct. 9, 1933 H d is INVENTOR laws 15. SAL 7'ZLEY Patented Aug. 20, 1935 v GAME Louis Baltzl'ey, GlenRidge, N. J.., assignor to Best Manufacturing Co. Inc, Irvington, N.-'J., a corporation of New Jersey Application October 9, 1933, Serial Necessary 13 claims. (01., 273-138) a i This invention relates particularlyto games "of-the type in which the play is determined by T a chance device in the. nature of a spinner Special'objects of f the invention are'to proi vide a game of the class indicated, which may be used to play a-great variety of different games and be readily changeable from-one game to another; which will be highly attractive in general appearance, interestingin its action and operation' and which'jwill have s'ufiicien't varietyand opportunities of chance to retain and stimulate the interestof the players.

- "Ih'e foregoing and other desirable objects are attained by: the various novel features of conistructionjcembinations and relations of parts:

hereinafter disclosed and broadly claimed.

, Theidrawing accompanying. and forming part of the following specification illustrates certain practical embodiments of the invention'it being understood that the structure may be modified andc'hanged as regards the present disclosure, f'asifwill be apparent from the broad and intended s'cope of the claims- LFig'. 1,'is a broken. plan View of the game. Fig. 2 is an enlarged broken sectional View as on substantially'themane of line 2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig.3 is a broken sectional detail as, on line iss of Fig. 2.

Figs. 4 and 5 are further enlarged broken .detail views ofthe spinnerand showing particularly the control .5161: by whi'chthe ballelements'are released from the spinnerto the annular race surrounding the same.

In the construction illustrated, there is a board or base member l, of suitablesize, in the center of. Which-the-chance mechanismis mounted. In addition to servingas a mount for'the chance .mechanism, this board 'usua1ly..forinsor carries a .ffield. appropriate to the type of vgame which is being played.

,Breferably, thegame fields are interchangeable asby beingmade up on cardboard 8, or the like, cut out at the center 9, to fit over the chance "mechanism and located in predetermined definite relation to said mechanism and to the board as by having perforations I6, to fit over the positioning pinsl I, on the board. 5 v.These game fields may bemade. up ap ropriatelyffor playing any, number of different 7 games, 'such forexample, as baseball, football, Igolfyroulette. steeplechase, horse racing dice :games, backgammon, around the world, travel andracing games, orspecial games modeled on banking or other ,7 financial and flcommercial transactions. Also, these removable cards may carry different game fields, or instructionsror. the

like, on oppoi-iitelfaces, so. that. one card when reversed may serve for playing two or more games. The chance mechanism comprises in, the pres,

ent disclosure, a'whirli-ng member or fspinner 5 and cooperatively related therewith a raceway positioned to" receive balls orgame elements thrown from the spinner and to deliver them into game pocketsappropriately marked for the gamebeingplayed. 1

. 10 The spinner is shown as consisting of, a, center stud or fingerhold l2,.pivoted on an upstanding pin 53, and carrying an upwardly flaring substantially conical disc Hi, on'which there isv fixed an upstanding spiralwall i5. This. wall defines 1-5 a spiral runway for the loose. game elements, -which may be balls or marbles, such as. indicated at It. An inwardly bent retaining flange lib-at the top of the spiralwall prevents the ballsfrom escapihgbeforethey reach the outer end of the 20 spiral. I

The raceway which receives the balls from the discs is shownas consisting of an upright annular wall l8, provided atthe top with an inwardly extendingannular flange l9.,.and having gs set into'it an annulus -20,-carrying an inwardly "extending flange -2i, forming the bottom of the raceway. The latter is; spaced from the rim of thedisc by an annular gap 22, of "greater width than the diameter 'of the balls, "so that thesemay 3t) escape after whirlingaround in the race for so long as they are held there by centrifugal force.

Beneath the gap 22, there is shown aniannular track 'or way 23, inclined-downwardly and outwardly and forming a lead tothe substantially $5 radially arranged pockets 24. These pockets are defined or separated by ridges 25, and may be partly covered as shown by the horizontal'annular extension 26, at 'the foot of the upright race wall i8, and terminating in the upright'wall 21, hav- A0 ing the arch-like passages 2 8, over the ball pockets. The legs of these arches are shown as staked or riveted throughthe separating ridges 25, asat 29, in Fig, 3.

The parts last de'scribedmay be readilypressed out'of sheet metal, as willv be clearparticularly from Fig. 2, wherethe game pockets and theannular lead thereto are'shownas 'f9rmedfrom a plate or disc having a central depressedportion 53c, securedon the board by fastenings 3!,"and 4.59

where the race forming 1 and pocket covering member is indicated as another sheet metal piece secured on top of the pocketiorming member by theintegral f'astenings 29.; The bottom of the ball race also is indicated as a sheet metal'ele- 5Q with the character of the game which is then on the board. .Thisso-called scoring ring is designated 32, andis shown as a flat annulus of cardboard,"celluloid or the.like,,engaged in a countersunk portion or seat 33, on the horizontal extension 26, of the race ring and positioned therein to match the pockets by the studs 34, struck up from such material and designed to enter the locating openings 35, ring.

The. game is played by placing one or more marbles or game pieces in the spiral runway of the spinner, the latter serving in its rotation to throw the game piece or pieces outwardly into the surround ng race where they roll arounduntil they lose momentum sufiiciently to drop down -thegap onto the track 22, between the spinner and race, onto the inclined track or table 23, until caught by ridges 25,which direct the .one :or morefipieces out into the game pockets- 24. =After leaving the wheelfthe balls though partly concealed can be seen rolling around in the race, but drop out of sightas they fall throughthe gap and are not seenuntil'they roll out into the exposed pockets. This introduces an element of surprise, since the point of emergence cannot be foretold and the effect is particularlyinteresting where a'number of balls are played at once, as they may come out at widely'separated openingsv 28 in the side. of the casing. The scoring card.

overlying the pockets .serves as .a changeable -marker and a means. for scoring the value, of particular pockets in which. theballs may come :to rest. This scoring card may carrypenalties and hazards or directions for instance, deter- :mining the playof tokens or pawns which; may be. usedon the game field associated with such particular scoring marker.

. The scoring card or, ring may have more than one. set of values represented thereon or representations of different charactersof play as for different periodsin agame. Thus in a golf game, for example, theremay be an outer ring 35 of indications forplay along the ffairway, an intermediate .ring ,of indications .31 for approach .and an inner ring .of indications 38 for putts orplay on the greenf. I M

The combination'of spiral guide and downwardly and inwardly inclined. disc has the effect of. causing a ball dropped on the spinner to immediately roll inward to the center of the wheel. When the wheel isturned as by spinning it in the grasp of the thumb and forefinger, this ball will be forced by the centrifugal effect outwardly through the convolutionsof the spiral. "If the wheel is turned left handedly in Fig. 1, that isin the direction of outward progression of the spiral, the ball will be caused to leave the wheel relatively'quickly as the spiral in such casefavor's the. outward centrifugal shifting of the ball.' If, .on the other hand, the motion is right-handed in theillustratiQn, that is, contrary to the" progression of the spiral, the ball will be retained longer and may find its way outward only after the wheel has made a much greater number of ,turns, the initial speed largely. determining this period of retention on the wheel. Thus, by the exercise ofa certain amount of skill and judgment the ball may beheld on the wheel for a in the marker or scoring 7 greater or lesser period of time, enabling certain variations in the play.

The turns of the spiral are spaced a greater distance than the diameter of the balls used, so that the balls may be dropped onto the wheel, while the latter is turning. When this is done, the first effect, that is, if the wheel is turning right-handedly in the illustration, is for the spiral to take hold andcarry the ball toward the center. Then as. the'ball picks up the speed of the wheel, the centrifugal force becomes dominant, forcing the ball outwardly against the upward incline and confining curve of the wheel and throwing it off the rim of the, wheel at the end of the curved confining wall;

To allow as much freedom as possible and prevent any possibility of the balls becoming jammed in the gap between the wheel and surrounding race, such gap is preferably made considerably wider than the diameter of the ball. To prevent the ball from dropping directly downward through this gap, before reaching the race, a controlling means may be provided atthe' end of the spiral retainer, arranged ,to hold the ball until it has partly bridged the gap beforeentirely releasing it from the wheel. This controller is pictured in Figs; Land 5, as a releasing slot 39, in the retaining wall [5, of gradually increasing height toward the endfof such wall, proportioned to let go of. theball gradually and to free it only after" it at 40, Fig. 2. This secures the spiral firmly down on the disclwhere it reinforces andisreinforc'ed by the cone'd'disc and'the flange at the upper edge of the strip stiifens and reinforces both the strip and the cone to which it is attached. The

wheel thus maybe made of inexpensive sheet mate'rial and yet be sufficientlyrigid and strong for all practical purposes. The hub member at the center of the disc is a further reinforcement.

It will be realized that a great variety of different games may be played with the apparatus by simply substituting different game fields and the scoring rings appurtenant thereto. In the present disclosure, a roulette type of game is indicated J in Fig. 1 and in that same view, the scoring ring 32 for that game is indicated as broken away for the sake ofshowing the golf scoring ring in position below the same; This illustrates further the point that anumberof diiferent'game fieldsand scoring "rings "may be left in position upon the boardand scoring mechanism, the top ones exposed for'use and the others simply in position ready for use "upon removal of those covering thesame. I H

While the controljslot in the'rim of the wheel "is effective in assuring the bridging of the gap,

it has possibly a more important function in restraining the balls in a radial sense, so that they will not strike the race too forceably andbo unce back toward the wheel; -The gradualj-release effected by the widening slot delivers the balls into the race with a restrained radial velocity but high whirling speed causing them to enter the ,race substantially tangentially at high speed and. to spin in the race for an appreciable time before abinets being released by the racintG thrrscQringpQckets 'I'he distance' of these pockets froIrfithe-race .smay'i be greater oii less thari that shown and they m'ay 1 3 facti b disposed immed-iatelytbelow the 5 paceg=irrstead-o spaced-outwardly? tram the race.

" therbhoice of-idimensions and-relative-location of 'partsainay be exercised within the scope of the inventiorffori modif ying" the action 'otlthe mechaanis'm, ii l he'i terraced: or built up: tower :ieffect J 110 l o f the housing twi th the spiral spinner: at tthe center dgives" the -devices a 'distindtly. ornamental; ap-

pe'arancedesirable characteristicim games of 'ithi'snaturey i what isplaimd ist' 1 5 A game d'e-vice cornprising;

. merit adapted-to +be' held:;, and; then releasedaby isald "retainer gunder tyinfiuence of 3 centrifugal i rorce amace positioned-std :receives'aida element when released by said retainer.-and-:cOnstrricted temporarily hold said element by the centrifugal action of the latter, game pockets positioned to receive the 'game element released from said race, said whirling member being pivoted on a substantially vertical axis, the race being in the form of a stationary, vertically extending ring surrounding and spaced/from the spiral retainer of the whirling-memberby a gap of greater width than the diameter of the loose 7 game element and said'pockets being disposed below therace and having leads thereinto' disposed beneath the gap between the whirling Y member and race.

2. A game device comprising a whirling member having a spiral retainer, a loose game element adapted to be held and then releasedv by said retainer under influence of centrifugal force, a race positioned to receive said element when released by said retainer and constructed to temporarily hold said element by the centrifugal action of the latter, game pockets positioned to receive the game element released from said race, said whirling member being pivoted on a substantially vertical axis, the race being in the form of a stationary, vertically extending ring surrounding andspaced from the spiral retainer of the whirling member by a gap of greater width than the diameter of the loose game element and said pockets being disposed below the race and having leads thereintodisposed beneath the gap between the whirling memberand race, a game field about said pockets and play indications above said pockets.

3. A game, comprising a'spinner sloping upwardly from the central portion toward the rim portion of the same, a spiral retaining wall on 'said upwardly sloping structure and provided at the top with an overstanding flange, a ball-like element adapted to be held by said retaining wall and be releasedat the rim of the spinner under influence of centrifugal force, a ball re- 7 ceiving track surrounding and spaced from the rim of the spinner by a gap greater than the diameter of theball and ball receiving game pockets having portions disposed beneath said gap between the spinner and ball race.

4.A game, comprising a spinner sloping upwardly from the central portion toward the rim portion of the same, a spiral retaining wall on 3 said upwardly sloping structure and provided at the top with an overstanding flange, a ball-' like element adapted to be held by said retaining Wall and be released at the rim of the spinner under influence of; centrifugal force, a ball receiving track surrounding and spaced from the ,ijourna at -the oenter or" lannillar way. beneath,

aawhirlingrmemi fiber 'havinga a spiral: retainers a loose; gamer :ele- I rimzloft ltheaspinnerzibyi'azggap "greater ithafi the diametera'of lths balheball receiyinggame apockets vehavingr: ortionsi disposedk-lbeneath: isaidq gap obeztween he:spinneraandaball.rraces:and :.control 1:imeansiatrrtheouterqend pfsthezsspiml: retaining,

wall for holding the bal-lslike elementguntilsityhas manually bridecdzzthe gapnbetweenathered f c-the spinnenandithe surrounding;ball r ce-.14. 4

-v .1 n 0mbinat Qn,.-; am i-bi rz l aa'SI-L 1.

a p nner a spaced their romll gap between the spinnenand rac Tsaidlgap, pocketsfextefnddfwayaridball-lik I leavers ingicutwaruly cm.

into. said raceand to fallftherefromihro gap onto said ;,an nula r;' way and" be thereby "intoithe game pocketsf 6; Incombi'natiOnP a-"game V J'ourn'al'led-at tl-ie fen-ter of thesar'rie rounding said spinner and" spaced' -therefrom to said samaasw u 'eleme'nts "adapted1 to' .lbefthrown ,byflsaiil jsp ricer,

- leave a gap between the spinner and race, an

annular way beneath said gap, pockets extending outwardly from said way and ball-like game elements adapted to be thrown by said spinner into said race and to fall therefrom through said gap onto said annular way and be directed thereby into the game pockets, interchangeable scoringrings surrounding the race and registering with said pockets and game fields related to said scoring rings and interchangeably mounted on the board about said pockets."

7. In a game device, the combination-of a bottom member having'a downwardly andout-v wardly inclined annular track and substantially game pockets, an overstanding member having openings in the side of the same over said pock pockets for different stages in the play for said game field. v 9. A game of the character disclosed, comprising a wheel having a spiral retaining wall, a balllike element for cooperation with said spiral retaining wall, a race positioned to receive said ball from the wheel, meanson the wheel for restraining theradial velocity of the ball-like element as it leaves the wheel and game pockets positioned to receive the ball-like element from the race. 10. A game'of the characterdisclosed, comprising a terraced casing, exposed game pockets in a lower terrace of the casing, a raceway in an upper terraced portion of the casing and a wheel journalled within the casing in position to throw ball-like objects therefrom into said raceway,

there being passageways in said terraced casing from said raceway to said exposed game pockets casing and whereby travel of the ball-like objects from said raceway through said passageways will be hidden from view and the position of the ball-like objects unknown until they appear in the exposed game pockets.

concealed by said upper terraced portion of the 35 radial ridges leading therefrom and defining 11.. A spinner oomprisng a conical bottom .disc,

a hub portionat the .centerof the same and a spirally coiled strip having its lower edge secured L on said bottom disc and having an inwardly projecting ball'retaining flange extending alongithe upper edge of the same. a

- 12. Game apparatus, comprising a spinner mounted for rotary movement, aspiral ball re- 'taining wallonsaid spinner, said wall having I V an'opening therethrough at the outer end of the "spiral, said opening tapering in longitudinal extent with the wider end of the same toward the outer end'of the spiral, 'a ball receiving race spaced lto be projected by said spinner, through. said widening slot 'to'said race, said ball being of larger diameter than the smaller end of the slot,

about the edge of the spinner and'a ball adapted but of less diameter than the larger end of: the

slot and whereby the same will be retained on the spinner until it has partially bridged the space ,betweenthe edge of thespinner and the, surroundingrace. 7 v 13.-In combination; a game boarda spinner mounted. thereon,- a race surrounding said spin-.

ner and spaced therefrom to leave a gap. between the: spinner and raceypockets below-said race 7 and positioned, to receivev a; ball dropping. from said race, a game. ball adapted to be projected by ,said spinner, across the gapintothe surrounding race, freely removableiinterchangeable scoring rings surrounding the 'race and registering with the ball receiving pocketsito designate values of by the, related scoring ring and game field of a different game. 7' t LOUISE. BALTZLEY. 

